


Let's Go From Here

by afunnyworld



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: M/M, Pokemon GO - Freeform, Strangers to Lovers, lost in a forest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 03:17:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17113433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afunnyworld/pseuds/afunnyworld
Summary: Dan gets lost while playing Pokemon GO. He meets Phil while trying to find his way back.Original Prompt: Dan and Phil get lost in the woods! How did they get there? Pokemon Go, of course.





	Let's Go From Here

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CallofTheCurlew](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallofTheCurlew/gifts).



> For the PhandomFicFest holiday exchange. Happy holidays Jenna <3  
> Thank you to my betas! (will add credit later!)

Dan looked at the time. It was almost 7:00 pm and he really needed to start heading home if he wanted to have enough time to study for his exam tomorrow. He just needed one more good attacker, and then he would head back. He would.

He was actually proud of himself - after all, he had walked over one hundred thousand steps just from playing Pokemon Go. This game was solely beneficial. He was getting exercise! So what if his phone battery was draining and he was procrastinating studying. “Just one more good find,” he thought, “Just one more.”

Dan ventured further into the park, walking away from the path. He knew sticking to the pavement was strongly advised due to the large forest adjacent to the park,  but he just couldn’t bring himself to give up on the hope of finding another Gengar.

Dan slowly got lost in the excitement of the game, and for the next half hour he hardly even looked up from his phone. When his stomach began to grumble, he reluctantly decided that he had enough. As he closed the game he noticed that his phone was overheating, and its battery was at a critically low level.

Quickly, he tapped the map on his phone, hoping to find a nearby convenience store, but his phone died instantly.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he muttered as he angrily hit his phone with his hand. “Shit.” He would just have to look around for a good place to eat as he walked back.

He looked up from his phone only to realize he had no idea where he was. There was no sign of the path, and he seemed to be totally surrounded by trees, leaves, and chirping pigeons.

Dan started to walk one way, and then another. Whichever way he turned he couldn’t seem to see a path beyond the trees. It seemed that the trees around him went on for miles. Convincing himself to stay calm and rational, he picked a direction and started walking. Praying to whatever possibly existing deity that he had picked the right direction.

As he walked, it began to get darker, and Dan began to worry that he would have to find his way back in complete darkness. Anxiety only really began to completely settle within him once it began to get windy. The harsh sounds of the wind along with the rapidly darkening sky made his heart speed up. He began to walk faster.

Suddenly Dan heard footsteps. He stopped right in his tracks and looked around. He was still nowhere near a path, and trees still completely surrounded him. As the sound of the footsteps got closer, he sidled up to a tree and tried to remain completely still.

This was it. This is how he was going to die. It would be all over the news, “Man Mugged to Death While Playing Pokemon Go.”

The footsteps stopped suddenly, and Dan tried to remain still. He leaned over a bit, attempting to sneak a look at whoever it was, to see if it was indeed an ax-wielding murderer, as he had thought. Perhaps it was just a park ranger after all.

As he was leaning forward, a branch snapped under his foot, and Dan lost his balance, tripping over onto the ground.

“Hello?” Dan heard someone say from above him. He looked up. Oh. This guy didn’t look like a murderer at all. In fact, he looked like he could be Dan’s age, at most early 20s. Perhaps he was even a fellow student at his uni. The campus was nearby after all.

Dan got up and brushed himself off, staring at the guy in front of him.

“Hello,” he squeaked.

“Oh, uh hi,” the guy said. “Do you by any chance know the way to the park exit, or, uh, entrance?”

Dan chuckled, “I really wish I did, but unfortunately…” Dan took his phone of his pocket and gestured toward it. “She’s dead.”

“So you’re lost as well?”

Dan looked at the other man. He had dark black hair, swept back on his head, and he was pretty… pretty.

“Yup,” Dan sighed, “We could try to find the way back together if you would like. I’m Dan by the way.”

“Phil,” the other guy said reaching out his hand. After an awkward handshake, Dan cleared his throat. “So uh, have you tried looking at the map on your phone?”

The guy－well, Phil－blushed. “My phone is dead as well. It overheated while I was playing Pokemon Go.”

“Really?” Dan asked a bit too loudly, then he lowered his voice. “That’s exactly what happened to me.”

“Wow it’s like destiny brought us together,” Phil said with a hint of sarcasm, but his preceding chuckle showed that it was intended to be good natured.

Dan laughed along nervously. “So, do you have any idea how we should go about getting out of here?”

Phil sighed, “I wish I did. Maybe we should just choose a direction and walk?” he suggested.

“Yeah, I already tried that, pretty sure I’m getting nowhere though.”

Phil laughed at that, and the next moment was filled with silence. Dan stared at Phil, who was staring right back at him. As he stared, Dan began to notice that this guy’s face was perfect. He had sharp black hair swept into a fringe and Dan found his eyes and lips to be weirdly attractive.

“Maybe we can climb a tree?” Phil finally suggested. “If we’re a bit higher we might be able to find civilization.”

“Fuck,” Dan knew his voice sounded high and whiny. “There’s no way in hell I’m climbing a tree.”

“Okay, suit yourself.” Phil seemed to look around to find a good tree to climb. He walked around a bit and Dan followed closely. Even though this guy was a complete stranger, he still didn’t want to return to being lost and alone.

Phil stopped in front of one of the shorter trees, “It’s branches are low, so it will be easier to climb,” he explained.

He then began to climb up onto the first branch, but he yelled out as he slipped, “I’m fine!” he shouted as though he didn’t realize Dan was only a foot away.

Phil tried again. And again. After a lot of slipping, he made it up a few feet off the ground. “Shit,” Dan heard him mutter.

“What’s up?” Dan called after him.

“I’m scared that I’ll fall if I move, and I won’t be able to see past the branches if I don’t stand up.” He sounded nervous.

“Ugh fine, I’m coming up with you. This better fucking not ruin my Yeezys.” Dan slowly started climbing up the tree until he reached the same level as Phil. He turned toward him, “Okay, you can stay right here and I’ll stand up and look for a path.”

 

Phil nodded, then teasingly added, “Be sure to watch out for your Yeezys.”

Dan gave him the finger.

It took a few minutes, but Dan eventually was able to stand up on a semi-sturdy branch and find the direction to the park exit. It was completely dark out by this point so he grabbed onto Phil’s arm as they both slowly descended from the tree.

“Think it would be alright if I held onto your arm the rest of the way?” Phil asked him. Dan was sure he could hear the smirk in his voice but he found himself agreeing eagerly.

For the next half hour, Phil began asking Dan questions. Dan found out that Phil was indeed a uni student. He had attended York but had grown up in Manchester.

“I’ve heard a lot of things about University of Manchester, do you like it?” Phil asked him.

“Yeah, I think it’s great, I love my professors. I’m a Poli-Sci major and I think they have a really good program.”

Phil told Dan about his masters in post-production and video editing. As they talked, Dan found that he and Phil had lots of similarities.

They were both huge fans of Muse - Phil talked about the concert he went to a couple of months ago and it turned out that they had both been there! Quite a coincidence.

They also were both huge video game nerds, and they spent a good few minutes bickering over who would beat who in a Mario Kart match.

When they finally made it back to the lit path, Dan reluctantly separated their arms. They were strangers after all.

Phil paused and turned toward Dan, “So how far from the park do you live?”

“It’s about a half hour walk, but since it’s dark now I think I’ll call a Lyf- oh right.” They both burst out laughing.

“If you want, and you aren’t too freaked out, you can come to my place to charge your phone. I only live five minutes away from the park exit. Of course, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, I have a roommate though, so it’s not like I’m trying to trap you alone or anything.”

Phil was rambling and he was visibly quite nervous. Dan decided not to overthink it and agreed to Phil’s proposal. After all, he didn’t really fancy walking alone in the dark for a half hour, and Phil seemed quite trustworthy.

Phil kept up the conversation as they walked, and they discussed their favorite Undertale characters. It seemed that they played all the same games, and had frighteningly similar favorites.

When they arrived at Phil’s building Dan was surprised to find that Phil lived in quite a nice apartment complex. He was a recent graduate, so it was curious that he could afford to live in such a nice place.

Dan couldn’t hold back, so he asked Phil about it. “Oh yeah, it is quite nice. My Dad agreed to help me pay for it as long as I help him with his company, not my first choice of work but it definitely is worth it. My roommate Nallah splits the cost, so it’s really not that bad.”

Dan loved Phil’s flat, it had a modern yet eccentric feel about it. There were little gadgets and toys strewn all about. Pokemon figurines, and video game posters. It was all so incredibly adorable and Dan felt his heart soften. Phil seemed like a really sweet guy.

Phil offered Dan a charger, and they both sat on his sofa scrolling through their phones.

 

“Do you think you could stay another hour maybe? I can order pizza.” Phil interrupted the peaceful silence. He sounded hopeful and a bit more mellow than he had been before.

 

Dan became aware of his heart speeding up in his chest. It wasn’t often that cute guys showed an interest in him, and although he had only just met Phil he was already beginning to really like him.

 

“Okay, but only if I get to show off my Mario Kart skills.” Dan finally responded.

 

Phil chuckled, “Oh you’re going down mate.”

 

Over the next few hours, Dan got lost in the joy of playing Mario Kart with Phil. He found that Phil really was adorable, especially when he was angry at Dan for beating him at the game.

 

Phil ordered the pizza and they took a break to eat once it arrived. As they ate, Phil told Dan about a podcast that he had been making. Apparently, he had a few hundred listeners who enjoyed his random animal facts and anecdotes.

 

At midnight, Dan reluctantly stood up. “I think I’m gonna head back,” he said.  

 

Phil seemed to frown slightly, but then smiled, “Well, do you uhh… think I could get your number? If that’s alright.”

 

Dan eagerly added himself as a contact on Phil’s phone, and he immediately received a text on his own phone.

 

Unknown: Hey <3

 

Dan felt his face heat up, and he turned to go before he could do anything embarrassing, like make a heart with his hands.

 

“Text me to let me know that you got home safe.” Fuck, this Phil guy was so unreal, he was funny, pretty, and also caring. Dan promised Phil he would text him, and slowly made his way out the door.  

 

—

The next day, after struggling through his exam, Dan received a text from Phil.

 

Phil: I’m glad to see you got home safe, I collapsed soon after you left. All that Pokemon Go exercise really wore me out ;)

 

Dan smiled to himself. The addition of the wink felt sort of provocative, even though he was sure Phil meant it innocently. He responded to the text immediately, to make sure Phil didn’t think he didn’t want to talk to him again.  


Dan: you’re right. exercise is dangerous

 

Dan: I also collapsed as soon as I got home, probably did really poorly on my exam :/

 

Phil: Nooo:’( I’m sure you’ll be fine

 

Dan: haha i seriously hope so. what r you up to rn?

 

Phil: Just got back from the office. I’m working on another podcast episode

 

Dan continued to text Phil throughout the rest of the day. Dan was delighted when Phil told him that the next episode would focus on gay penguins.

 

Then Dan asked Phil if he could listen to an episode of the podcast. After a bit of coaxing, Phil sent him the link. It sent Dan to Phil’s YouTube channel, which seemed to have several videos with black screens for thumbnails.

 

For the next few hours, Dan listened to Phil’s podcasts as he cleaned the dishes in his dorm. He and his three roommates followed a chore plan, and today it was Dan’s turn to do the hard stuff, which included dishes and sweeping.

 

When he finished cleaning, he drafted a text to send to Phil.

 

Dan: finished 4 episodes, the sound of your voice is really pretty and calming :)

Phil responded with an embarrassed monkey emoji, and Dan was surprised that he found it cute and not as cringy as he normally would have.  

 

Phil: Do you have twitter by any chance?

 

Dan really didn’t want to send Phil his Twitter handle and reveal how much of a nerd he was. And his twitter was also filled with desperate replies to cute male celebrities. He really didn’t need Phil to see that.

 

Bracing himself, Dan decided that Phil might take it the wrong way if he straight up refused and he sent him his Twitter handle.

 

Dan: it’s @danisnotonfire

 

Dan: pls don’t judge me

 

Phil: 0: I would never

 

A few minutes later Dan got a twitter notification: “Amazingphil followed you.”

 

Dan immediately checked out Phil’s account, and was shocked to find that he had over 20,000 followers. Dan had not realized that Phil’s podcast had amassed him an actual following.

 

Dan: phil ur famouse

 

Phil: fa mouse?

 

Dan: shut up

 

Phil: ;p

 

Dan: i see your pinned tweet is about sarah michelle gellar, you a buffy fan?

 

Dan ended up spending the rest of the day texting Phil about Buffy. Phil was horrified to find that Dan had only watched the first three seasons of the show, and made him promise to watch the rest.

  
－

Over the next few days, Dan spent a lot of time texting Phil. He was continuously stunned to find out how much they had in common. After a bit of a back and forth in his own head, Dan decided that he really wanted to get to know Phil better, and forced himself to get up the courage to ask him to hang out again.

 

Dan was insanely relieved when Phil excitedly agreed, and they made plans to meet up on Saturday at Wagamamas. Dan pushed the meetup from his mind and tried not to dwell on it.

 

He kept himself busy with class work and texting Phil about nothing, but by the time Friday came around, his nerves hit him with full force. Was this just going to be a hangout or was Phil interested in something more?

 

It had felt like they had both been a bit flirty over text, and they had even exchanged a couple of voice notes in which Dan could hear that smirk in Phil’s voice. The same tone he’d heard on the night that they met when Phil asked if Dan would hold his arm.

 

Dan asked his roommate, Kora, for help deciding on a proper outfit. Although she spent the whole time teasing Dan about his date, she succeeded in distracting Dan from his worrisome thoughts for a while.

 

－

Dan didn’t get much sleep Friday night. This would be his first date in at least 6 months, and he was really nervous that he would fuck it up. Or maybe it wasn’t even a date, he had to remind himself. For all he knew, perhaps Phil just wanted to hang out, it’s not like Wagamamas was the most high-end place in the city after all.

 

Dan and Kora had decided that he should go for a more casual look. He wore his black checkered jumper and black ripped jeans. Hopefully, Phil wouldn’t judge him for the darkness of his outfit, and Dan had decided to be himself regardless. He had to let his dark soul shine through.

 

Phil met Dan outside his dorm building, they were both a bit early. “Want to play Pokemon go at the park?” Phil asked. Dan froze, and Phil began to giggle. This broke the awkwardness a bit and calmed Dan’s nerves.

  
As they walked, they spoke about Phil’s podcast. Dan had finished all of the episodes on Phil’s channel and asked him if he could get early access to the next one. Phil blushed at this and readily agreed to send Dan the link.

 

The next couple of hours went by smoothly. The more they talked, the more at ease Dan felt. Because they shared so many interests, it was so easy to talk to Phil. And he was a great listener as well. He looked straight at Dan and his eyes seemed to glow with interest as Dan described one of his incredibly strange professors.

 

They sat at the restaurant until a friendly staff member politely reminded them that the store would be closing in half an hour.

Phil insisted on paying the bill in spite of Dan’s light resistance, which strengthened Dan’s hope that this could be more than just a platonic hangout between friends.

 

Phil walked Dan back to his dorm building and they stopped once they were right outside. Phil looked both ways and stepped closer to Dan. He slowly stretched out his hand and slid his fingers through Dan’s. Phil’s hand felt incredibly soft and Dan felt warm all over.

 

As Phil leaned in, Dan followed suit and their lips quickly connected. Phil placed his hands on Dan’s waist as they slowly continued to kiss.

 

Phil was the first to pull away, but he kept his hands on Dan’s waist. “Y’know, I think I really like you, Dan.”

 

“I think I really like you too Phil,” Dan responded, staring right into Phil’s eyes. It felt like he was staring into his soul. Dan stepped a bit closer and wrapped his arms tightly around Phil. Phil returned the hug and Dan laid his head on Phil’s shoulder. He felt like he had known Phil forever, and he never wanted this moment to end.

“Do you want to come up with me?” Dan asked him cautiously.

 

“Um..” Dan felt his heart sink. He should never have let himself get his hopes up in the first place.

 

  
“I really like you, Dan, I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who I’ve connected with so quickly. I just really feel like we have something special, Y’know? So I kind of want to take things slow if that’s okay?”

 

Dan felt like he was floating on the highest of clouds, it was great to hear that Phil was on the same page. “I know, and I feel the same way, Phil. Maybe we could just go up and cuddle though... nothing, uh, else?” Dan felt himself turn red at the last few words and Phil burst out laughing.

 

They ended up walking slowly into Dan’s apartment to avoid confrontation and more importantly to avoid waking up any of Dan’s roommates.

 

When they entered Dan's apartment, they were surprised to find it strangely empty. Dan vaguely remembered a party that was supposed to be happening this week and hoped that tonight indeed was the night.

 

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Dan asked as they entered his bedroom. He noticed that Phil looked nervous.

 

"Sure, what movies do you have? I haven't watched a lot of movies recently. "

 

They spent the next twenty minutes bickering over what movie they should watch, and they finally settled on Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Phil said that he had always wanted to watch it, and Dan gave in. It's not like he could really say no to Phil with those gorgeous eyes staring right at him.

 

Phil seemed completely enamored by the movie, and Dan slowly found himself shifting closer and closer to Phil as the movie went on. His leg was soon completely next to Phil's leg and so he awoke Phil from his movie induced stupor and shyly asked him if he was still “down to cuddle”.

 

Phil seemed taken aback by Dan's abruptness but he also seemed happy. Dan was in a very giggly mood, and although he wasn't drunk, he was tipsy from the cocktail he’d had at Wagamamas.

 

Dan shuffled closer to Phil until he was actually sitting on his lap. Phil wrapped his arms around Dan in a warm hug and Dan felt his heart soar.

 

Phil's breathing soon evened out and Dan could tell he had fallen asleep. He laid back slowly and tried to imitate Phil's breathing.

 

Dan began to gleefully daydream about his day. It was incredible that he and Phil had only met last week and he could already see a future with him. This was truly astounding, and nothing like this had ever happened to him before. Dan continued to daydream, as he felt too giddy to actually shut his eyes, and sitting on Phil's lap made him feel way too overwhelmed.

 

Dan needed to distract himself until he would actually feel tired. He opened his phone and noticed a notification for a Pokemon Go update.

 

As Dan clicked the update button he felt incredibly fond, and immediately remembered that Pokemon Go was what had actually brought him and Phil together. It was at this moment that Dan decided that Pokemon go was his all-time favorite phone game. He was not biased at all of course.

 

  


 


End file.
